1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radio environment analysis and, in particular, to a system and method for monitoring and testing remote network elements in real time.
2. Background of the Related Art
As the communications industry evolves, network structures have become more complicated and radio communication technology has advanced at a very rapid pace. In the midst of these trends, telecommunication carriers are involved in a heated competition to secure more subscribers. In an attempt to gain an advantage in the market, carriers are lowering service charges. They are also seeking to increase profits by improving service quality, improving subscriber satisfaction, and minimizing network maintenance costs. To meet subscribers' demands for high quality communications, carriers are now required to design streamed networks with cell planning and must also monitor radio environment using a propagation measurement and analysis system.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a conventional wireless communication system. This system includes a plurality of mobile terminals 10, base transceiver station (BTS) 12 and repeaters 14 for relaying communication between the mobile terminals 10, base station controllers (BSC) 13 for controlling an overall management of the BTS's, MSC's 11 which are connected to fixed networks such as the PSTN, ISDN, etc. and which perform the switching functions needed to connect the mobile terminals 10 to fixed network subscribers or to other mobile subscribers, HLR's (not shown) storing all subscriber information including the subscriber's access rights and the services he/she has subscribed to, and a network management system (NMS) 15 for monitoring and troubleshooting traffic congestion and malfunctioning of the network elements.
This communication system is further provided with a base station manager (BSM) 16 for managing and maintaining the BTS's 12 based on information collected through the dedicated lines between the BTS's 12 and the BSC's 13.
Unlike the BTS's 12 that are connected via the dedicated lines, the repeaters 14 typically communicate with the BTS's 12 through a common air interface (CAI) due to economical problems. Even if small size equipment such as repeaters 14 are connected to the BTS 12 through dedicated lines, data for managing and maintaining the equipment should be previously collected at the BTS 12 and then sent to a monitoring center for analysis.
In order to monitor the operating conditions of the small size equipment in a conventional wireless system, the equipment is typically provided with sensors attached at main parts of the equipment and a separate modem, which is connected to a public network through a physical line. The management center collects the data gathered by the sensors by periodically polling the equipment and receiving event (interrupt) signals from the equipment whenever a malfunction is detected by the sensors.
To perform this monitoring function, telecommunication carriers have considered building a separate management network for the sensors and modems used to monitor the communications network, and especially for monitoring remote equipment located in the network at low density areas. The construction and management of this separate network is highly undesirable because it is expected to add significantly to the overall cost of providing telecommunication services to subscribers. For this reason, carriers have hesitated to install monitoring devices for small size equipment such as repeaters located at remote and low density areas. The failure to monitor the performance of small size equipment has caused a deterioration in service quality.
Furthermore, since each sensor monitors only the associated part of the equipment on which the sensor is mounted regardless of other parts of the same equipment, it is difficult to obtain a reliable status report on and an integrated analysis of the whole equipment.
The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.